Film reviews by nationality

Friday, October 19, 2007

The Québec Identity Act (Bill 195) will just incite newcomers to leave. In short, the bill is just a document of unfair discrimination.

Presented in the National Assembly yesterday by Pauline Marois (photo), Bill 195 is supposed to "enable the Québec nation to express its identity" and "it establishes [a Quebecker] citizenship". It's mentioned that those who have been living in Quebec as Canadian citizens would receive de facto the "Quebecker citizenship".

Moreover, indications following the article 49 of the Civil Code of Quebec (1991, chapter 64) will be added. A newcomer will be granted the citizenship if he/she has "has effectively resided in Québec for six months, including the three months preceding the date of the person's application". Secondly, it's vaguely mentioned that an "appropriate knowledge of [...] French" is deemed necessary.

As Quebeckers, we expect newcomers to learn French. However, with this bill, Pauline Marois, the leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ), has displayed a terrible lack of judgement.

She didn't notice that she has just fished in the waters of Quebecker far-right ideologists in the likes of Guy Bouthillier. Strange though it might sound, Bouthillier once said that people who can't speak French (newcomers as well as people living in Quebec) shouldn't have the right to vote. On another note, the Bill 195 clearly stipulates that newcomers who can't speak French won't have the right to:

a. Run in municipal, school and legislative elections;

b. participate in the public funding of political parties; and

c. petition the National Assembly for the redress of grievances.

Whoever advised Mrs. Marois, we have to understand that new Quebeckers are far to be the main problem to Quebec's obvious incapacity to blend people into a mainstream culture. Secondly, the main flaw of the Québec Identity Act is its incapacity to determine what is an "appropriate knowledge of [...] French".

As a matter of fact, the question needs to be raised, because it reveals a contradiction in the mentality of certain French Quebeckers. In fact, while they absolutely want immigrants to learn French, some of them don't seem to be proud of who they are. In fact, many of them don't even have a basic mastery of French in writing and oral communication (I'm not talking about the joual, mind you!).

With that said, the Bill 195 is just a pure mockery to the principles of republicanism. By distinguishing people by the colour of their skin and also their ethnicity, it takes for granted that French Quebeckers are by default people who should have the "Quebecker citizenship". Evidently, speaking French as a primary language doesn't mean that you do speak and write it correctly. All in all, the Bill 195 will just create a vertical mosaic in which the top rungs are occupied by French Quebeckers, that is, those who speak their language well and above all, the remaining lazy pigs who don't give a good example to newcomers.

André Boisclair, the former leader of the PQ, couldn't defend Quebec's mainstream identity because of his advocacy of multiculturalism. On the other hand, Pauline Marois tries to defend it, but she seems to favour Quebec's dominant ethnic group. Without a doubt, Pauline Marois gives to the PQ an image of a party that advocates close-mindedness if you also think about her incapacity to speak English. However, there's worst: the PQ sullies the concept of republicanism. Shame on Mrs. Marois and the PQ!

While staying in Canada, Quebec doesn't need discriminatory laws. In fact, whoever has the Canadian citizenship automatically has the right to vote in a provincial election as long as he/she lives in that given province. Period. After all, how will Mrs. Marois react if we take away her right to vote in a federal election by saying that she can't speak English?

The Québec Identity Act (Bill 195) will just incite newcomers to leave. In short, the bill is just a document of unfair discrimination.

Presented in the National Assembly yesterday by Pauline Marois (photo), Bill 195 is supposed to "enable the Québec nation to express its identity" and "it establishes [a Quebecker] citizenship". It's mentioned that those who have been living in Quebec as Canadian citizens would receive de facto the "Quebecker citizenship".

Moreover, indications following the article 49 of the Civil Code of Quebec (1991, chapter 64) will be added. A newcomer will be granted the citizenship if he/she has "has effectively resided in Québec for six months, including the three months preceding the date of the person's application". Secondly, it's vaguely mentioned that an "appropriate knowledge of [...] French" is deemed necessary.

As Quebeckers, we expect newcomers to learn French. However, with this bill, Pauline Marois, the leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ), has displayed a terrible lack of judgement.

She didn't notice that she has just fished in the waters of Quebecker far-right ideologists in the likes of Guy Bouthillier. Strange though it might sound, Bouthillier once said that people who can't speak French (newcomers as well as people living in Quebec) shouldn't have the right to vote. On another note, the Bill 195 clearly stipulates that newcomers who can't speak French won't have the right to:

a. Run in municipal, school and legislative elections;

b. participate in the public funding of political parties; and

c. petition the National Assembly for the redress of grievances.

Whoever advised Mrs. Marois, we have to understand that new Quebeckers are far to be the main problem to Quebec's obvious incapacity to blend people into a mainstream culture. Secondly, the main flaw of the Québec Identity Act is its incapacity to determine what is an "appropriate knowledge of [...] French".

As a matter of fact, the question needs to be raised, because it reveals a contradiction in the mentality of certain French Quebeckers. In fact, while they absolutely want immigrants to learn French, some of them don't seem to be proud of who they are. In fact, many of them don't even have a basic mastery of French in writing and oral communication (I'm not talking about the joual, mind you!).

With that said, the Bill 195 is just a pure mockery to the principles of republicanism. By distinguishing people by the colour of their skin and also their ethnicity, it takes for granted that French Quebeckers are by default people who should have the "Quebecker citizenship". Evidently, speaking French as a primary language doesn't mean that you do speak and write it correctly. All in all, the Bill 195 will just create a vertical mosaic in which the top rungs are occupied by French Quebeckers, that is, those who speak their language well and above all, the remaining lazy pigs who don't give a good example to newcomers.

André Boisclair, the former leader of the PQ, couldn't defend Quebec's mainstream identity because of his advocacy of multiculturalism. On the other hand, Pauline Marois tries to defend it, but she seems to favour Quebec's dominant ethnic group. Without a doubt, Pauline Marois gives to the PQ an image of a party that advocates close-mindedness if you also think about her incapacity to speak English. However, there's worst: the PQ sullies the concept of republicanism. Shame on Mrs. Marois and the PQ!

While staying in Canada, Quebec doesn't need discriminatory laws. In fact, whoever has the Canadian citizenship automatically has the right to vote in a provincial election as long as he/she lives in that given province. Period. After all, how will Mrs. Marois react if we take away her right to vote in a federal election by saying that she can't speak English?